Trouble at Ploku's Pit Fight Arena
by The Hutt
Summary: See-yees Ploku owns a successful colloseum on Ord Mantell, but when someone starts cheating, an infamous bounty hunter arrives and the gladiators find themselves in a real mess!
1. Beeggo Cha'zac

Beeggo Cha'zac

Beeggo's feet thudded on the pavement. He had to keep running. He couldn't slow down; he couldn't pause for rest. He looked over his shoulder. The Nexu was bearing down on him, its massive white paws bounding out in graceful movements.

There was nothing he could do. Beeggo would be pounced upon any second, thrust onto the cold concrete, and devoured. He knew it. Looking up, the towering buildings seemed to lean in towards him, forming a trap. All of a sudden, despite the long road ahead of him, the young Rodian felt quite claustrophobic.

The Nexu leapt. It squatted back, its matted fur rippling as its leg muscles tensed. With a screeching roar, it shot forward like a coiled spring let loose. The monster sailed through the noxious air. Beeggo looked over his shoulder just in time to see its unnaturally broad maw of fangs open wide…

Beeggo Cha'zac sat up abruptly in bed, drenched in sweat. He shook his head. "_Where am I?" _he wondered. Suddenly, the last vestiges of that nightmarish world with the ferocious black skyscrapers and ravenous Nexu left him. The empty space in his brain was promptly refilled with his memories of reality. He was in his apartment, near the pit fight arena.

Beeggo was a pit fighter, a gladiator, who participated in a menagerie of blood sports for the enjoyment of the crowds of Ord Mantell. The lawless world was the perfect place to go to watch violent battles pitting gladiators against beasts, gladiators against gladiators, beasts against beasts, and beasts against slaves and prisoners.

Checking his schedule, which was hanging on the wall above his simple bed, Beeggo found that today he would fall into the second category. "Good," he said quietly to himself. "I don't think I could handle a beast fight after that dream!"

The Rodian fighter looked at his clock. The radioactive phosphorous in it was apparently quite old due to its fadedness, but he could still see pretty well that it read: 3:34 AM. There was still a lot of time open for sleep. Beeggo happily obliged.

***

Ploku's Pit was a compound situated past the glitz and glamour of the semi-legit casinos, past the junkyards and scrap heaps, around the far edge of the ten-mile plateau, and down in a valley surrounded by tall rock spires. It was a _very _out-of-the-way place, but it had to be. However, if you knew where it was, you could get there with no problems.

There was a sign on the main gate that clearly read, in several prominent languages:

_No one admitted with a price on their head._

Ord Mantell was notorious for its bounty hunters. They flocked to the crime centre, where there was always a bounty to be collected. Several big criminal organizations and syndicates frequented the masses of ritzy casinos in the more populated areas.

"Welcome, ladies, gentlemen, and asexually reproducing creatures! Prepare to witness boundless entertainment in the pit!" boomed the announcer. The crowd of mixed aliens screamed and waved their arms. Some of them held signs and banners displaying support for their favorite gladiators.

"This morning, we will be having a special guest. Meet the biggest, baddest, meanest predator in all the galaxy! The… Rancor!"

The roar of the crowd intensified exponentially. A large gate against the southern wall of the pit opened, allowing a dazed and angry bull rancor to lumber out. The "pit" was a deep-set stage of stone covered in sand in the center of the ring of seats. Guards stood at the ready with light repeating blasters in case any of the wild monsters escaped, which was very infrequent. It did not take long for the arena manager to ban fights with flying creatures.

The arena manager is also worth note. He was a somewhat wealthy Gran who delighted himself in three things: watching blood sports in his venue, earning money, and then gambling away that money. His name was See-yees Ploku (pronounced SEE-YEEZ Plo-koo), and he had horrible luck.

Back to the pit fight… Beeggo Cha'zac sat amongst the other gladiators, mostly Trandoshans, Gammoreans, Nikto, and Rodians. Much to his discomfort, Beeggo was wedged between a particularly malodorous Gammorean and a boisterous Trandoshan whose filed teeth were stained with what appeared to be blood. The latter's reptilian face was also scarred from countless strikes of vibroblades and force pikes.

Below, the spectacle was starting. The gladiator, who stood on a waiting elevator at the top of the northern tower, was a well-built Nikto. Instantly, bets were being made, amongst the fans and the gladiators. Beeggo put in 200 credits for the Nikto.

The elevator began its arduous decent to the roll of hidden tympani drums. The crowd began to chant, "five… four… three… two… one…"

The elevator touched the dirt and the chains around the rancor's arms and legs dropped with hefty _clanks_. The fight was on.


	2. The Pit Fights

The Pit Fights

The crowd cheered on the Nikto gladiator as he cautiously moved toward the slavering rancor. The massive brown beast reared back its wrinkly head and let out a ferocious bellow. It took a few giant steps toward its prey, sniffing quizzically.

The Nikto made his move. He dashed for a small black hemisphere set into the floor of the arena. He brought his foot down hard on the dome, smashing it open. Reaching inside, the gladiator extracted a short force pike. The crowd erupted in applause at this find.

This particular event was called Mystery Item Monster Bout. Not only was the manager unlucky, he was extremely poor at coming up with creative names for his sports.

In his excitement at obtaining a suitable weapon, the Nikto didn't realize the rancor had advanced on him. It swung a mighty hand, caught him in a great swat, and flung him through the air. He landed facedown, but didn't stay that way. The warrior rolled, dodging the claws that swept down at him. The rancor ended up, smacking the ground, sending up a great deal of dust.

The Nikto didn't hesitate at this opportunity. He raised the spear overhead then plunged its charged tip into the expansive hand. The beast let out a terrifying shriek, flinging its wounded hand up high. The force pike was thrown high into the stands. _"Someone will either get a very cool souvenir or be impaled through the skull,"_ thought Beeggo.

Weaponless, the gladiator raced under a huge swipe from his bestial adversary and leapt upon his second hemisphere. This one relinquished an unsatisfactory item: a human skull from the previous day's prisoner slaughter.

The rancor whirled around to attack the Nikto again. Unsure of what else to do, the fighter chucked the skull at the monster. It broke apart harmlessly on its broad chest. Unexpectedly, the creature looked down, confused about what had hit him.

To the urging of the audience, the Nikto sprinted for the black dome farthest from the rancor. He gave it a swift kick and dropped to one knee to extract the item. "Yes!" thought Beeggo. The pit fighter had truly gleaned a worthy weapon. It was a Wookie bowcaster!

The rancor was fast approaching. Realizing it had been purposely distracted, it charged at the perpetrator. For such reasons, it is debatable whether or not a rancor is semisentient or not.

Six successive green bolts soared at the beast's massive head. Two missed, one hit its chest, and the other three found their mark. The rancor let out an earsplitting cry of defiance before flopping forward onto the ground.

When the dust settled, the Nikto could clearly be seen standing upon the conquered giant's carcass, holding the killing weapon aloft. Steps were raised from beneath the coliseum, and the victorious gladiator walked up to the crowd, which cheered even louder than before, rivaling the rancor's death bellows. He ejected the cartridge and flung that off to the right. Fans scrabbled for the small object, trying to net a worthy prize. Next, the fighter turned back to the center and cast the laser crossbow up to the waiting hands of his new admirers.

After the excitement had died down a little and the victor exited, the announcer came back on the intercom. "Well, that was truly an amazing fight! Hang on to those souvenirs, guys, they'll be worth double after this fellow's next battle!"

A worker called Beeggo to the stairs into the network of passageways beneath the arena. "And now… back by popular demand, Rodian Razor Deathmatch!"

The crowd roared in approval. "Feast your eyes as two Rodians will fight with weapons of their native planet!" continued the announcer over the loudspeaker. "The fight will be to the death, or, as some of you goodie-two-shoes asked, until ten minutes are up. At that time, the gladiator with the most remaining limbs wins!"

Speaking of eye feasting, Gans, like the arena manager, have three eyes and an amazing sense of sight. Thus, they delight in visual performances and architecture. Just thought you would like to know that.

"You ready for this?" asked the Arcona worker.

"I guess we'll see," replied Beeggo.

"Good luck." Another worker came up with a metal case. The Arcona extracted two gauntlets and handed them to the gladiator. Then, he turned back to the holder and delicately removed two Rodian repulsor throwing razors and placed them in the warrior's hands.

Beeggo heard the crowd above him: "Five… four… three… two… one!"

The door in front of him lowered swiftly into the ground and he stepped out into the middle of the arena. The crowd went wild, remembering how he defeated a giant Purella spider three days earlier in only thirty-five seconds.

"Here we go," he muttered to himself as he spotted the other Rodian, Seebo Kabouk, exit the western door. His appearance spurred even more applause. He had slain six foes in Rodian Razor Deathmatch and was a living legend. "Prepare to be dethroned, king!" Beeggo shouted across the sand.

"We'll see about that, Cha'zac!" sneered the tall, indigo-skinned competitor. Immediately, he charged.

"Heh. Fool," breathed Beeggo. He knew this tactic. Kabouk used it often. Too often. He would charge, causing his opponent to panic, and charge in turn. Kabouk would stop short and thrust out his razor, severing a carotid artery or shredding a shoulder.

Beeggo cleverly dug in his heels early and turned the enemy's signature move on him. The surprised Rodian tried to stop, but Beeggo threw the razor in his right hand! He ducked that shot and lunged forward, trying to stab his opponent. Beeggo lashed out with a foot and sent the foe to the dirt.

Kabouk rolled away from Beeggo and slashed at his shin with one of his razors. Blood spattered the sand and the other Rodian dropped to the ground. This gave Kabouk a chance to get to his feet and prepare to throw his razor in a killing strike. The crowd grew quiet in the seconds before the fight ended…

But it was not Kabouk, hero of six victories, who got in the last throw. Beeggo was lying on his left arm, but he managed to toss his second razor into his right hand. With an expert flick, he sent the weapon flying straight and true. It shot right between two of Kabouk's ribs, burrowing itself in his heart. The Rodian spluttered, blood trailing from his open mouth. He stood like this for a moment that seemed to stretch on, as if time itself could not accept that this great gladiator had lost. Finally, dramatically, the man dropped to his knees, a gush of blood spurting from his wound. Silently, he dropped onto his face.

The crowd burst into insane cheering. Many a gambler cursed harshly as they were forced to fork over large quantities of cash. The underdog had defeated the man on the winning streak. David had slain Goliath. Beeggo Cha'zac was triumphant.

After only a little bit of soaking up the adoration of the masses, the Rodian fighter saw himself out. The east door sealed behind him as he stepped into the dim corridor. "Well done," said his best friend, Frygarr, a Gran. Frygarr was not a pit fighter, but he was a gambler held in high regard in the arena, and thus was allowed to go where he pleased. "Hey, let's head down to the Lady Fate Casino. Drinks are on me!" he said cheerily.

"Of course they are," laughed Beeggo. "You probably won a boatload of credits off my victory!"

"Hey," replied Frygarr sheepishly. "Like I always say: you do the work, I get the cash. Now let's get out of here."

**AN**—Thanks for continuing to read! Please review!


	3. The Lady Fate

The Lady Fate

Beeggo and Frygar entered the large main space of the casino. In the area by the door, there were some sabaac tables and jubilee wheels, where most visitors who wanted more legal fun remained. There was a low, semi-transparent partition that separated a small dining section. The floor, opposite wall, and ceiling in this slightly lowered region were black, the tabletops made of glass, and the seat cushions in the booths bright red. Across the way was a long bar, and above this several screens were situated, displaying podraces and other sporting events. One of them briefly showed the Nikto from that morning obtain the bowcaster and shoot down his monster foe.

On the other side of the partition were a few tables before a medium-sized stage, on which several Twi'lek females were dancing. The mood here was set with tawny walls and gray floor tiles. The seats were blue and the tables brown.

Past the show area there was an exit onto the broad balcony, which overlooked the bay. To the right and through a door guarded by a TT-L8 "Tattletale" droid was the lounge where the high rollers went to win big in a golden and crimson atmosphere. This room was circular and filled with more gambling stations. The centerpiece was a massive tank of water in which graceful melodies swam to mesmerize and entertain those in the golden room.

Upstairs corrupt businessmen met in luxurious meeting halls. Here, the smell of burning ixetol was occasionally smelled. Smugglers tended to bring their wares to the upper levels of the casino to make their transactions.

However, the pit fighter and his friend did not go to the evil business meetings, or to the VIP lounge, or to the balcony with the stunning view, nor did they sit and watch the Twi'lek girls on the stage. Instead, they walked straight past the spinning jubilee wheels and credit chip-laden sabaac tables and slid into the red booth against the opaque partition.

After a moment, a human waitress came to take their order. Both decided on gourmet nerf burgers. After the waitress walked away to give their orders to the chef, the two turned their attention to the screens above the bar. While they were sitting in the spot farthest from the back wall, the screens were so large and the images so clear that they had a great view of the podrace going on.

The race was the Phoebos Memorial Classic on Malastare. Elan Mak, Ben Quadranaros, Ratts Tyerell, Sebulba, Mapco Taiges, Teemto Pagalies, and Mawhonic were sailing through a lichen-encrusted canyon. High up on either side of the bottomless gorge were Dug houses, where the inhabitants had come out onto their roofs to cheer on their favorite contestants: mostly Sebulba the Dug and Mawhonic the Gran, as they were considered to be the "home team."

Mak soared ahead, dodging under a suspension bridge. Taiges was not so luck, though. His Radon-Ulzer 623D clipped the metal base, spun out of control, and collided with the canyon wall. A spray of debris and sparks exploded from the crash, but Quadranaros managed to make a sharp turn to avoid this shrapnel.

Tyerell's bulky Vokoff-Strood Titan 2150 would not have cleared the bridge had it not collapsed after Taiges' fatal crash. He rocketed into second place, Ben Quadrinaros keeping his hold in third away from Mawhonic, who tried valiantly to escape the advancing Sebulba.

Activating additional thrusters, the crafty Dug went up and over the Gran, purposely clipping his right engine on his descent. Cursing furiously, Mawhonic was forced to land in the pit area with a spluttering and smoking turbine.

Laughing, Sebulba zoomed up alongside Tyerell and checked him into the narrowing rock wall. Panicked, the diminutive Aleena pulled up, trying to get to the broader portion of the canyon. Sebulba wouldn't have it, though. He pulled up also, only at a sharper angle. His large engine caught Tyerell's underside and flung him, spiraling, into the sky, his cockpit scraping precariously against the rough face of the ravine until he crashed on a higher ledge.

Beeggo's attention was torn from the race when Frygar tugged on his sleeve. "What?" he complained. "This is really interesting. I think I should bet on that Dug Sebulba…"

"Look! Isn't that Ploku, the arena manager?" said Frygar, regardless. He pointed across the way, to a table near the bar. See-yees Ploku was talking to two men in long black capes and dark glasses.

"L-look, I tried my best!" stammered the obese Gran.

"Really?" snapped one of the men, a human. "Do you want to tell that to Mr. S'eggo? Do you take him for a forgiving person?"

"Please, do be calm, Derzocg. We _are _trying to help Mr. Ploku here," said the other man, a contemplative, meticulous Duros. "Now, Mr. Ploku, what did S'eggo ask you to do, exactly?"

After a brief pause, the arena manager shook his head and replied, "I was told to rig a fight between Seebo Kabouk and another Rodian so that Kabouk had real razors and the other's were…"

"Were _what_, Ploku?" urged the overzealous man Derzocg.

"The other Rodian's razors were remote controlled so that they could be guided away from Kabouk and miss!" blurted the manager in dismay. He slammed his head into the tabletop, spilling his alcoholic beverage.

"So what _happened_, hm?" seethed Derzocg.

"I-I don't know! M-my hand slipped! He was at point-blank range!" screeched Ploku so loudly that a few customers turned around at the bar and stared at him.

"You hear that, Beeggo?" whispered Frygar.

"Yeah… I guess there's trouble on the way."

"I don't like the looks of this… I think you should take a little break, just until this blows over—"

"I can't do that!" snapped Beeggo. "Gladiatorial games are my life, just as betting on me is yours! I can't stop living!"

"Let's just hope this doesn't get out of hand…"

AN—**Thanks so much for reading! I appreciate any reviews you would be so kind as to submit!**


	4. Trouble Just Arrived

Trouble Just Arrived

_Jaster's Glory _soared over the junkyards and smelters of Ord Mantell. In the cockpit of the old beater, bounty hunter Jango Fett gazed out at the permanent brown haze from burning fossil fuels. "Roz, what do you know about this Como Segara?"

The voice of Jango's Toydarian assistant came on the comm. system: "He's a no good manager of a smelter near the Ten Mile Plateau. This guy's supposedly separating the metals from the nearby scrap heaps, but unconfirmed reports say he's making weapons for local pirates."

"That's what I learned from that swimmer said on the balcony at the Lady Fate," said Jango with a hint of smugness.

"Did you say swimmer? I thought you were going to the Lady Fate to talk to a smuggler!"

"Well, I just hope he can swim, after our meeting out there…"

The Mandalorian vessel slowed and landed on a small cliff overlooking the smelter. Thick black smoke poured from the numerous smokestacks jutting from the squatty structure. "Good luck, Jango," said Rozatta as the bounty hunter walked away from the dashboard.

"I don't believe in luck, Roz," responded Jango, putting his Mandalorian battle helmet on. He climbed up to the storage area above the cockpit and retrieved his jetpack and two missiles, which he slipped inside the rocket launcher built into the modified pack. Then, he set out into the rocky terrain toward the smelter…

A few minutes later, Jango was crouched on a low ledge. If he crept to the very edge, he could clearly see two guards standing at the heavy metal grate, talking and smoking. Silently, he raised his right arm and with his left hand fired the Kamino saberdart launcher built into his wrist gauntlet. Two of the lethal projectiles shot down in quick succession, hit each guard in the neck, and dropped them instantly, the neurotoxin promptly shutting down their nervous system. After a few seconds, they would suffocate and die. Convenient, stealthy, and efficient: that was Jango's style.

Once at the base of the cliff, Jango dragged the bodies into a dark alcove and moved on to the gate. A massive padlock kept it shut. Rather than bother with searching the dead goons, he simply used his cutting torch to neatly sever the lock in two. He carefully drew the chains away and set them relatively noiselessly on the ground at his feet. Then, he pushed open the entrance. The hinges were rusted and screeched in protest, but he was through quickly enough.

The bounty hunter crouched down, looking for danger. It appeared as if he was alone amongst the small gray outbuildings. Still, he went very quietly, rolling between the structures on his way to the main factory.

The inside of the large building was sweltering. There were two ramps leading to walkways overlooking the main floor, which had broad troughs carrying molten metal from open grates in the left wall and then disappearing into similar openings on the right-hand wall. Standing between the troughs were Weequays and Klatooinians, making sure that there were no large pieces floating in the red-hot liquid. Jango also spotted some Ugnauts working the machinery that conveyed the mixture down to the refinery.

Not wanting to draw attention to himself, Jango slunk up to the walkway on the right. He ducked behind a column as an Aqualish and a Rodian walked by, both carrying contraband DLX-6 disruptor rifles. They were so engaged in a conversation about the previous day's podrace on Malastare in which Ben Quadrinaros managed to outmaneuver Sebulba on the home stretch and glean first place that they didn't even notice Jango hiding as they passed a few feet away from him.

Jango decided he couldn't risk them seeing him once they reached the bottom of the ramp, so he took a few steps, came up behind them, and slammed their heads together. He proceeded to drag the dazed guards into a small room and injected them with a potent sleeping drug from a syringe in his utility belt.

With those two dealt with, Jango snuck out of the room. He continued down the walkway, peeping into each doorway before he passed it in case some one was in there. He only encountered one more person, a Gran who was looking over the operations below. He was holding an N'Gant-Zarvel 9118 Heavy Carbine, and Jango couldn't let him go free. He was too far away and facing the wrong direction for a successful sneak-up and beat-up, so Jango employed his penultimate saberdart. He had to make sure the last one was conserved until he needed it.

At the end of the long ledge, Fett found his quarry. There was a good-sized room with fluorescent lights in the ceiling there. Piles of thick chains lay strewn in massive heaps. One man stood at the back wall, looking at a series of monitors.

Jango drew his dual Westar-34 blaster pistols and said, "You could contain a Wampa in these chains."

The human whirled around. "Wh-who are you? What do you want with me?" He eyed the twin barrels of the Mandalorian armor-clad intruder warily. "I-I run a legit business here!"

"Oh, yeah? Tell that to the pirates I found with your weapons out in the wastelands yesterday!" Jango advanced, keeping his blasters trained on Como Segara's head.

"So, to whom do I owe the gratitude for granting me a worthy price on my head?" Segara asked, trying to stall.

"You don't have a price on your head," replied Jango flatly. "See-yees Ploku does, though, and I think you know where he is."

"W-what makes you say that?"

Jango answered by lifting one of the smaller, lighter chains with the barrel of one of his Westar-34's.

"I don't know where he—" Segara began, but Jango was on him in an instant. He grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and dragged him out to the walkway. Next he thrust the scum's head out over the ledge so he could see the boiling mass of molten metal flowing leisurely through the trough below.

"_Where is he?" _growled Jango.

"Y-you wouldn't do it! I-I'm not worth anything to you!"

"That's exactly why I will do it! Now STOP STALLING!" Jango slammed the man farther toward the edge.

"Okay! Okay!" he sniveled. "I'll talk! I'll talk! Ploku has a pit fight arena a little ways north! Take one of my freighters, the autopilot should bring you right to the facility!"

Suddenly, a group of guards gathered on the opposite ledge, and a few of the workers on the main floor got out their blaster pistols. "Let him go, bounty hunting scum!" yelled a human worker from across the gap.

"Wrong choice of words," said Jango, and he cast the screaming Segara outward. He fell, thrashing for something to grab onto, and splashed into the red-hot molten metal. His arm, glazed in orange steel, appeared once above the sloshing surface, and then he disappeared altogether.

By this time, though, Jango had found cover and was shooting expertly across at his assailants. Slowly, their numbers diminished, but there were still to many of them. Finally, Jango rolled away from the column and launched a missile from his jetpack. It sailed at the opposite walkway, scattering the panicked thugs. This gave the bounty hunter a chance to escape. He rushed down the ramp and reached the bottom just as the rocket exploded, sending out a lethal spray of red and blue sparks that engulfed a wide area and caused the walkway to come free, dropping several enemies into the troughs like their leader. Jango reached the exit and fled without looking back.

**AN—Well that certainly was a big entrance for the notorious bounty hunter, wasn't it? Once again, I would like to thank you for reading and ask you to please submit your reviews!**


	5. Back to the Pit

**Back to the Pit**

The pack of massiffs bore down on the wounded Gammorean. He sprinted as fast as his stumpy legs would carry him, but he just couldn't gain any ground. The advancing group of beasts snarled and snapped their jaws ferociously.

A cluster of large boulders sat in the center of the slight depression. This was Ploku's "Terrain Monster Fight," and there were also several other obstacles, such as low walls and a shallow ditch.

Speaking of those two impediments, the Gammorean tried to climb atop the wall, stumbled, and toppled over into the ditch. He panicked, swiping his axe back and forth as he scrabbled out of the rut, back out into the open.

One of the brown, black-spotted monsters propelled itself off the wall when the gladiator's back was turned, catching his arm and slicing it open. Blood splashed the dirt and the Gammorean went down. As he did so, he managed to swing the mighty vibroaxe so that the spiny-backed massiff was forced to back off.

The wounded pit fighter, squealing in pain, got up and took off, circling the wall and back toward the rocks. Again, a massiff broke away from the ravenous pack and leapt. This time, the Gammorean was ready, and he swiftly loped off the hunter's head. However, the force of the decapitated beast hitting him full-on knocked him to the ground. He struck his head against a rock, but his light helmet saved him from the clutches of unconsciousness. However, a third massiff got hold of his leg for a brief moment. As if fell away, it tore a deep gash in the green flesh.

Free once more, the gladiator scrabbled atop a boulder with great effort. He could not rise, for his right leg was shredded and bleeding profusely. Suddenly, a massif bounded up, kicked off a boulder, and flew at its prey, latching onto the already wounded arm.

The Gammorean whirled around and hacked at the new attacker with his axe. However, he only got in a couple of good hits before a massiff bit down hard on his leg and pulled him off the rock. The pack surrounded the downed gladiator and, as the crowd 'oooohed,' devoured him alive.

Beeggo Cha'zac headed down the hallway in the innards of the pit fight arena. Because of his recent victories, he had been permitted to walk through the Champion's Corridor, which went to the same door as usual, but the hall was lighted and had real walls and floors instead of being simply a channel through the underlying rock. He was partway down to the gate for his Terrain Armed Free-For All match when a man stepped out in front of him, brandishing a pair of blasters…

* * *

Meanwhile, See-yees Ploku was sitting in his box, observing the wranglers subdue and drag off the massiffs to their cages under the coliseum. The audience was delighted with another feature when one of the monsters was not quite out when a worker tried to lift it onto a cart. The beast leaped up, tearing off his arm. Two guards rushed over to the scene and jabbed the massiff with stun pikes before it could eat the rest of the beast wrangler.

After a few minutes, the gates opened. The crowd cheered as the announcer called out the names of the fighters: "Doda Chidonta, the Rodian! Fusset Tusserk, the Trandoshan! Gartogg Jubnuk, the Gammorean! And… finally… announcing, the triumphant champion… Beeggo Cha'zac!" At this, the north gate opened. However, no champion stepped forth. "Beeggo Cha'zac!" The crowd began to become confused and uneasy as two minutes passed with no Cha'zac.

"Where is that blasted Rodian?" Ploku snarled into his comlink.

"Sir, there's been a situation…" replied the voice of the guard captain.

"What do you mean, _a situation_? People out there paid good money to see Beeggo Cha'zac slaughter those three nobodies!"

"Just like they paid to see Cha'zac get slaughtered by Seebo Kabouk?" came a voice that was not an employee of Ploku.

"Who is this?" Cha'zac growled back.

The voice was dark, malevolent, and mysterious. "I'll be seeing you in three minutes."

"What? What did you—?"

But there was no response of the other side of the comlink.

* * *

"Hey, what's the big idea?" Beeggo raged. "I've got a fight to get to!"

The two blaster pistols lowered. "I'm sorry, _gladiator_, but we've got an intruder on the premises! I'm on my way down to the smaller arenas to head the guy off!" With that, the security officer holstered his weapons and jogged briskly down the corridor.

Enraged, Beeggo continued on his way, snatching the electro-net and modified ryyk blade Fryggar had been holding for him. "What were you doing back there?" the Gran asked as his friend rushed toward the battlefield. "The fight's all ready started!"

Without answering, Cha'zac charged the nearest opponent, Fusset Tusserk, cast the net over his head and shoulders, pulled him off his feet, and slashed him across the back with his sword. The crowd cheered at their hero's arrival, thinking his late arrival was part of the show.

Shocked, Gartogg Jubnuk couldn't raise his vibro-axe in time to block an incoming stab from Beeggo's ryyk blade. The Rodian turned on Doda Chidonta, who ducked out of the way and slammed his kite shield in his opponent's face.

Beeggo fell back, clutching his broken nose in one hand and slashing weakly with the other. He staggered, regained his footing, and parried a flurry of blows from the other Rodian's Kerestian darkstick.

Suddenly, a force pike jabbed through Chidonta's shoulder. He dropped to his knees as the Trandoshan Fusset Tusserk charged up from behind him. Cursing his stupidity at thinking the reptilian foe down for the count, Beeggo leapt away from the charged point darting at his head. He tripped and rolled on the ground. He tried to bring up his sword, but the pike caught its underside and flipped it away from his hand.

Beeggo opened his eyes to see the sharp point of the spear about to impale his forehead. Abruptly, there was a red flash and the enemy fell backwards. He thudded to the ground as the crowd began to shout in surprise and anger.

The Rodian fighter scrabbled to his fight and looked up to watch as a man in battle armor leapt off a stone balcony. Suddenly, he ignited a jetpack on his back and flew straight towards Beeggo.

Crying out, the gladiator was scooped off the ground. He was immediately hurtling through the gate and into the dark corridors of the arena. "Who are you?" he shouted, looking up at the dark visor above him.

Promptly, the intense speed ceased, and Beeggo was on the ground. Jango Fett slipped a set of zip-tie handcuffs around the fighter's wrists. Next, the bounty hunter drew a Westar-34 blaster pistol and pointed it at his catch. "Stay on the ground or I will kill you," he said. With that, he kicked in a nearby door. Ploku tried to rush out, but Fett caught him and held him fast. "Urgh!" Jango grunted. "Quit your squirming and maybe I'll bring you in alive!"

The Gran just wasn't cooperating, though. Finally, Jango drew the small syringe from his gauntlet and jabbed the needle into Ploku's carotid artery. In seconds, the arena manager was out cold.

Relieved that this task was done, Jango turned to deal with the other bounty. "Damn!" he exclaimed, seeing that the Rodian was no longer bound on the floor. The only sign of his quarry was a faint sound of footsteps receding quickly down the hall. With a sigh, he returned his syringe into his gauntlet and set off down the corridor, blasters drawn. It was turning out to be a very long day.

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**AN—Thanks for reading, and please take the time to give input, suggestions, and comments. Check back shortly for more of Jango Fett's adventures!**


	6. On the Hunt

**On the Hunt**

"Hey, you! You can't come back here, it's—" began the Aqualish guard. Having no time for this, Jango simply shot the man in the face. Then, the bounty hunter continued down the corridor.

Up ahead, Jango spotted a figure darting around the corner. It was Cha'zac! He reached the end of the hall and saw the Rodian slip onto an elevator. The bounty hunter sprinted for the rising platform and leapt at it, but he was too late; the metal dais disappeared into the ceiling and he slammed into one of the huge exposed pistons that had risen underneath the elevator.

Jango fell to the shallow pit at the bottom of the shaft, dazed from the collision. He rolled slowly onto his back and looked up through his cracked visor. Then, he realized how bad a spot he was in. The elevator was coming back down automatically, and he was going to be pressed like a vat of grapes. Disapproving of the concept of Jango Fett wine, the agile warrior scrabbled to his feet, ignited his jetpack, and soared out of the rapidly diminishing opening, barely escaping from the deathtrap.

There was no time to loose; Jango turned and ran onto the platform. He reached out to activate the control panel, but all that remained was a bashed-in square thronged by exposed wires. Little sparks flew off the tattered edges sporadically. "Clever," Fett muttered, leaving the inoperative elevator and searching for another exit from the narrow hall. He found one quickly: a grate about seven feet up on the wall opposite the elevator.

Using his cutting torch, Jango removed the thin mesh from the opening and crawled inside the cramped shaft. About three minutes later, he began to wonder if it would have been easier to cut through the ceiling of the elevator. Just then, he reached the end of the tunnel.

There was another grate here. He cut this one open too, and carefully set the metal square aside. Activating the heat-scanner in his helmet he determined that around the corner there were two men, presumably pit fighters. There was also a stack of very cold objects nearby. These, he speculated, could be fuel containers that were frozen to keep the contents inside stable. A little energy could excite the fuel and make quite a show…

Jango drew one of his Westar-34's and peeped out around the corner. Sure enough, the two men were in gladiator attire, each brandishing an imposing stokhli spray stick. One shot was all it took; a barrel broke and its gaseous contents were set ablaze by the crimson bolt. This abrupt increase in heat caused the other tanks' fuel to expand suddenly, bursting apart the containers in a great explosion. Shrapnel whizzed everywhere, taking down both fighters before they knew what hit them.

Pleased with this display, Jango slipped into the gloomy alley. He ducked behind a dumpster slathered with grime and waited. Sure enough, a guard raced out to see what the commotion was. He didn't get remotely close to the flaming mess before a Kamino saberdart lodged in his throat.

There were no more incidents as Jango ran down the alley. He assumed that the building to his right, the one he had not come from, was the long way that Beeggo had taken, having to go around the large L-shaped structure then heading out into the training area. He had conveniently chosen a much shorter route. There was a round tower at the end of the chasm of concrete, and it was extremely likely that this would take him directly to the heart of the training area, cutting off his prey.

There was a door through which the guard had exited, but Jango did not use it. There would most likely be a gang of soldiers in there waiting to ambush him. Instead, he jetpacked up to the upstairs windows and ducked inside the security outpost. Cautiously, he knelt by the rim overlooking the ground level from the loft. Just as he suspected, four sentinels with light repeaters crouched by the door.

Jango left the tower through a door to his left and entered a hallway with regal red carpets and a few pieces of gold artwork hanging on the walls. He located an open door and looked inside. This appeared to be a private viewing box, for there was a Chiss man garbed in an expensive waistcoat and trousers seated in a plush chair by the edge overlooking the ring. He was being served fine food by scantily clad Twi'lek girls, and two Rodians in red uniforms stood by the door, their backs to the entrance. Down on the stage, which had a charged force field about its circumference, a gundark was horribly dismembering two Gammoreans who were supposed to be fighting it.

"How's it going?" asked Jango as he walked onto the balcony. Instantly, the two Rodians turned on him, aiming their Blastech HSB-200 blaster pistols at his head. "Please, friends, put your weapons down," he continued, soothingly. "I mean you no harm." To demonstrate this, he placed his own pistols on the floor by his feet.

"What do you want?" the Chiss barked, averting his red eyes from the disgusting scene below.

"I'm just looking for someone," Jango said, thinking feverishly of a plan. The two goons were standing pretty close to him, but he couldn't see them clearly without turning his head because his helmet obscured his peripheral vision. Furthermore, the Chiss didn't seem to be a threat, nor did the waitresses, who were now standing at the opposite corner.

"That's a likely story!" laughed the Chiss, taking a sip from a brass goblet.

"Come now," Jango said, sounding hurt. "If I had wanted to kill you, you'd be dead!"

The Chiss suddenly started laughing heartily. "Now, there's a point! I like you, friend. What's your name?"

"Surely you've heard of me already!" Jango exclaimed, inching back ever so slightly. He thrust out his hands and bent forward in a gesture of shock, which disguised the fact that his feet had moved. He was now the closest person to the door.

"For good reasons or bad?" asked the Chiss, taking another sip of his drink.

"That's a matter of perspective," Jango remarked.

Before the seated man could respond, there was a loud crash, and the box shook violently as the gundark slammed into the front of it. With one massive hand, it gripped the pole in the center of the opening, and with the other, it swatted the table, the chair, and its occupant as if they were flies. The Chiss slammed face first into the wall and collapsed under the overturned chair, blood streaming down his face. One of the Twi'leks rushed by, but she was caught and flung, screaming, onto the unforgiving surface of the small arena below.

In the chaos, Jango managed to ram his elbows into the noses of each Rodian guard, scooped up his blasters, and darted out the door. He was about to seal it when the second Twi'lek rushed out the opening and down the corridor to safety. Shrugging, the bounty hunter sealed in the two thugs and their employer.

* * *

**AN—Will Jango Fett be able to capture his two targets, or is Beeggo already long gone? Check in shortly to find out! Once again, I thank you very much for reading, and ask that you take the time to review.**


	7. The Hunt Continues

**The Hunt Continues**

Beeggo Cha'zac burst through the doors into the training area. Three of his friends, Noghri with thick, powerful muscles and an exemplary knowledge of melee weapons, were chatting inside.

"What's up, Beeggo?" asked one of them, putting away the hologram of his newly purchased landspeeder.

"Look, I don't have time to explain, but there's this guy trying to kill me!" exclaimed the Rodian, rushing past. "Stop him!" he added as he leapt over the low brick wall and ducked under a pole extending from a large climbing structure.

"Well, you heard him!" growled one of the Noghri, picking up a gauntlet-mounted blade and strapping it onto his arm. The others followed suit. "Don't worry, Beeggo, we'll help ya'!"

There was an ominous silence for a long, drawn-out moment. Suddenly, the double doors atop the raised platform at the end of the chamber opened, and a hail of blaster bolts flew into the room, quickly followed by their firer, Jango Fett.

The three gladiators scrambled for cover as the bounty hunter glided down via his jetpack. He landed and made for the exit across the sea of training equipment. He was abruptly cut off by a Noghri who stepped out from behind the climbing pillar. He snarled viciously and slashed at the Mandalorian's neck, but he dodged agilely and kicked the pit fighter in the stomach, having activated the spikes in the soles of his boots.

The first gladiator went down, clutching his wounded midriff and crying out in agony. Jango whirled around and shot the second, who was charging up behind him with a sizeable battleaxe.

The axe fell from the blasted Noghri's grasp at Fett's head, but he caught it deftly. He knelt and spun around to meet the third attacker. He swept the giant weapon at the running fighter, catching him with a brutal slash.

"Hm," Jango grunted, looking around at the carnage he had created. Satisfied that he was no longer in danger, the bounty hunter walked out of the training facility.

* * *

Beeggo, on the other hand, was not as cool and calm. He was sprinting frantically, trying to find a way to escape. He rounded a corner and bounded past two creature handlers talking about the empty freighter that had been sitting out on the landing bay for a few days. No one had taken it out, and no one seemed to know who's it was.

The Rodian realized that this was his way out. He could easily steal that freighter, and it didn't sound like it would be missed.

* * *

Jango Fett burst through a door and into the narrow hallway. He glanced to the left and right and, seeing that there was no one here to resist him, he hurried off toward an elevator. He hopped on this and rode up to the upper levels of the arena.

The bounty hunter emerged into a broad chamber. There were eight guards lined up against the other side of the vast room. They suddenly opened fire with their N'Gant-Zarvel 9118 Heavy Carbines. There was a loud clamor of deep thumping as the yellow bolts lanced out and pelted the wall behind Jango.

However, the Mandalorian was too swift for this ambush. He rolled out of the way, taking cover behind a rather protruding pillar. He reached out an arm and fired several blasts. One of the guards went down.

The battle raged for a few minutes. Eventually, Jango managed to roll back out and bring down the last two soldiers as he passed through the open space. Then, he moved on. There was one final elevator, which he got on.

* * *

Beeggo ran toward the freighter on the landing platform. Triumphantly, he grabbed the handle and swung the cockpit open.

"Stop right there," came a cool, malicious voice behind the Rodian. He reluctantly raised his hands and stepped away from the ship. "Get on the ground," ordered the calm bounty hunter.

"What do you want with me?" Beeggo shouted, trying to stall for time.

"Seebo Kabouk was supposed to win that razor fight."

"Don't you realize that I had nothing to do with that? I didn't know it was rigged—and even if I did, I wouldn't condone it! Cheating is wrong!"

Fett shrugged. "My employer doesn't care. Now," he growled, aiming his dual plasters at his catch's head. "Get on the ground!"

Suddenly, as Beeggo laid down, the floor under Jango flew up, and a raging Gundark thrust itself through the opening. It was the one from the private fight. Fett soared through the air, disappearing over the side of the platform. With that, the massive beast snorted, thumped its chest thrice, and bounded off the landing pad. It hit the ground and kept running, heading off to enjoy its freedom.

And Beeggo did likewise. He swung himself onboard the vessel an rocketed away for someplace where he wouldn't have to worry about pit fights, bounty hunters, or colossal monsters ever again.

Five stories down, Jango got to his feet shakily. Luckily, he had managed to engage his jetpack just before he hit the ground. However, when he looked up, he saw his quarry take flight and blast off into the distance. Shaking his fist in fury, the bounty hunter cursed this escaped gladiator.

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**Thanks so much for reading. There should be an epilogue up, or if not very soon. It's pretty short, so please check it out! Actually, there hasn't been a single review, so I'd really, really, really appreciate it if you gave your input!**


	8. Epilogue: Jango and Roz

**Epilogue: Jango and Roz**

"So, did you get them?" asked the pinkish-orange-colored Toydarian on Jango's screen.

The weary bounty hunter sighed and removed his helmet. "No, Roz, only one. The gladiator got away."

"Well, that's too bad. At least the one you _did _get was the guilty one."

"It's all money to me, Roz," Jango muttered emotionlessly, punching in the coordinates for Nal Hutta. "The arena manager is worth twice as much as the fighter who escaped, though."

"Well, that's good," Rozatta commented. "So, where are you taking that slime?"

"Nal Hutta. And he's not nearly as slimy as the person who posted his bounty is." With that, Jango lifted off and soared away from the rocky plateau outside the coliseum.

"Oh, by the way, Jango, I've got a little situation on my station."

"Anything for you, Roz."

"Well, there's jut one thing: it's another pit fight cheater. His name's Meeko Geetinks."

Jango shook his head slowly and replied, "I suppose I'll have to take you up on that one, Roz. Dead or alive?"

"Either. Actually, he's wanted by the Republic," the Toydarian mentioned.

"You're just after your finder's fees!"

"What can I say? I've got to make money too. That's not all, either," said Roz with a wink. "I want to see you too."

"I'll be at Outland Station in a few days," Jango promised, entering hyperspace.

"Ooh, Jango, you're the best! Also, this weird thing showed up for you; it's a message from some Tyrannus or something."

"See you soon."

True to his word, Jango Fett arrived at Outland Station, tracked down Meeko, and captured him. The holorecording Rozatta mentioned was from Count Dooku, who offered five million Republic credits for the capture or killing of Komari Vosa. Several weeks later, Jango was being cloned to make an army of super-soldiers.

_And the rest is history…_

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**Thank you very much for reading! I appreciate reviews, and seeing as I have not received any on this story, I'd like for those of you who **_**are **_**reading to please post suggestions, comments, and opinions. Thanks again! **

—**The Hutt**


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